In these endeavors, art and history are utterly intertwined, making and remaking the human story. Artists in ReMaking History use memory as a lens through which they distill, reinterpret, or recall personal, historical, and political events, sometimes reworking images and text in the process.

A historical approach to the past recognises the complexity of events, whereas memory tends to simplify – shaping the past to fit within the jelly mould of a cultural script. I will return to the tension between ‘history’ and ‘memory’ shortly. Another theme raised in this collection is the idea of visual memory.

Memory when recording history is important because it gives history a flow and an emotional meaning and knowledge that you just cannot get from most basic historical documents. Major events in history such as periods of colonization might be considered a catastrophe by those who are being colonized.

Letters, diaries, speeches, and photographs are examples of primary sources. Artifacts such as tools are also primary sources. Other tools that historians use are secondary sources. They are written after a historical event by people who did not see the event.

Historians rely on calendars and the dating of events to measure time.

Examples of Primary Sources:

• Letters.
• Diaries.
• Eyewitness articles.
• Videotapes.
• Speeches.
• Photographs.
• Artifacts.

Examples of primary sources include diaries, pamphlets, eyewitness accounts, photographs, fabrics and manuscripts. Historians use primary sources whenever possible to try to create as accurate a picture of the past as possible.

Different people will interpret things like historical cause and effect differently. As to the last part of the question, no, we can’t change history and the past; however, by studying it in more depth and detail, we can gain much greater knowledge and apply that knowledge to similar present and future events.

Perspective is the ‘point of view’ from which the creator of a source described historical events. Every person sees and understands events differently depending on their age, gender, social position, beliefs and values. Even modern historians have their own perspectives which can influence how they interpret the past.

Perspective is the way that one looks at something. It is also an art technique that changes the distance or depth of an object on paper. An example of perspective is farmer’s opinion about a lack of rain. An example of perspective is a painting where the railroad tracks appear to be curving into the distance.

Synonyms of perspective

• angle,
• eye view,
• outlook,
• shoes,
• slant,
• standpoint,
• vantage point,
• viewpoint.

Life perspective is the way people see life, including the way they approach life and all there is in their personal experience. In this life, few things are absolutely right or wrong.

It is important to look at topics from multiple perspectives so that we are able to see the whole picture, which better enables us to find the root cause of the problem and discover a solution that takes the needs and feelings of everyone involved into consideration.

Once people can view the issue and situation both from their own perspective and the other persons’ perspectives, they can more easily find mutually beneficial solutions. Perspective-taking also communicates that one really understands their thoughts, feelings, and needs.

Influences on perception include:

• Past experiences.
• Assumptions and Expectations.
• Character traits.
• Education.
• Childhood upbringing.
• Self-concept.
• Culture.
• Faith.

When you change perspective from yourself to others, you begin to realize there are a lot of people going through their own negative events, yet they are maintaining a positive perspective about life. They continue to be grateful for the good things they have.

When a current situation, incident or event in our present lives resonates with a past situation, incident or event, we instantly have flashbacks. Those specific stored memories, thoughts, emotions and feelings are energized, and they resonate forward into our present.

The experiences we are having today were likely shaped by the past events you have been through. Events in your childhood or early adulthood have shaped the way you think, act, and interact with people close to you. Memories are heavily influenced and based on feelings we had surrounding the event or experience.

Scientists now know that the same brain processes we use to remember the past can also help us plan for the future and imagine different possible scenarios. You can overwrite your past with new experiences and form better memories to recall in the future. Even the most positive of people have self-doubt.

They start by pointing out that your ability to envision the future is strongly influenced by your memory for the past. That is, you tend to use memories of past experiences to predict what your life will be like in the future. It is easier to use your memories when the future you are predicting is close in time.

Here are five ways to help let go of your past to make room for that awesome future that lies ahead:

1. Learn to forgive. In order to stop letting your past ruin your future you must forgive the person who hurt you.
2. Let go of the past.
3. Choose the opposite.
4. Write it down.
5. Let go of the fear.

How to Keep Your Past from Affecting Your Present

1. Identifying Your Past Hurts.
2. Understanding Their Impact.
3. Past Hurts Are Not Always From Your Current Partner.
4. How to Overcome the Past.
5. Remind yourself the current partner you are with is not the person who hurt you before.

The past will always come back to haunt you unless you find a way to work out the problems and let them go. “There are different ways the past comes into the present. However, if you are only focusing on your past, then you are most certainly limiting your future.

The person you’re grieving over may still be alive. The memory of your time together haunts you nonetheless. Continually thinking about them and ruminating about the past can add undue stress into your life. You’re also giving them more power over your emotions by continually allowing them time inside your mind.

Your past, no matter how bad it was, does not define your future. The choices and actions you make today will ultimately define who you will eventually become. Make the decision to learn from your past and apply it in the present so that you can live the life that you were meant to live. You deserve it!

There is a reason why the past keeps coming back in painful memories. It’s because you’re stuck in one way of thinking. Because of neural networking, when we feel a specific way, we think about other times when we felt the same way. Hence, if you feel sad, you will think of other times when you felt sad.